N.J. to get $3.4 million from feds to help people enroll in Obamacare

In New Jersey, 20 health centers will receive about $3.4 million and are expected to hire an additional 69 employees to assist an estimated 73,000 residents enroll in health insurance exchanges, a key part of the Affordable Care ActStar-Ledger file photo

Twenty health centers in New Jersey will receive a total of about $3.4 million in federal funds to help with enrollment in insurance exchanges under the new health care law, the U.S. government announced today

In total, $150 million will be handed out to nearly 1,200 community health centers across the United States.

The money will allow these centers to hire employees who will help people navigate the exchanges — the new insurance marketplace that is the cornerstone of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.

The money is expected to help hire 2,900 people, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

In New Jersey, the centers are expected to add 69 employees to assist about 73,000 residents in enrolling.

“Investing in health centers means that people in neighborhoods and towns across the country have one more resource to help them understand their insurance options and enroll in affordable coverage,” said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

The law requires uninsured individuals to purchase insurance on an exchange if they do not qualify for Medicaid. The government will offer subsidies to help those with lower incomes purchase insurance. In New Jersey, the exchange will be run by the federal government and enrollment is scheduled to open on Oct. 1.

But choosing a plan and signing up is expected to be difficult, and the law's effectiveness hinges on its ability to insure most of the 37 million Americans who currently do not have insurance.